Loading machine with rotatable turret having flexible receptacle supports and receptacle engaged valve actuators



1949 E. E. FRANZ LOADING MACHINE WITH RQTATABLE TURRET HAVING FLEXIBLERECEPTACLE SUPPORTS AND RECEPTACLE ENGAGED VALVE ACTUATORS 6Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jxily 26, 1944 FIG.

Nov. 29, 1949 E. E. FRANZ LOADING MACHINE WITH ROTATABLE TURRET HAVINGFLEXIBLE RECEPTACLE SUPPORTS AND RECEPTACLE ENGAGED VALVE ACTUATORS 6Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 26, 1944 ATTORNEY 1949 E. E. FRANZ 2,489,878

LOADING MACHINE WITH ROTATABLE TURRET HAVING FLEXIBLE RECEPTACLESUPPORTS AND RECEPTACLE ENGAGED VALVE ACTUATORS Filed July 26, 1944 eSheets-Sheet s INVENTOR E. E. FRANZ 197 GR .YIWLAM ATTORNEY Nov. 29,1949 E. E. FRANZ 2,489,878

LOADING MACHINE WITH ROTATABLE TURRET HAVING FLEXIBLE RECEPTACLESUPPORTS AND RECEPTACLE ENGAGED VALVE ACTUATORS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4

Filed July 26, 1944 INVENTOR E: E. FRANZ ATTORNEY Nov. 29, 1949 E. E.FRANZ 2,489,878

LOADING MACHINE WITH ROTATABLE TURRET HAVING FLEXIBLE RECEPTAGLESUPPORTS AND RECEPTACLE ENGAGED VALVE ACTUATORS Filed Jilly 26, 1944 6Shets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR E E FRANZ i PW e'u-v -wn ATTORNEY Nov. 29, 1949E. E. FRANZ ENGAGED VALVE ACTUATORS Filed July 26, 1944 FIG] 6Sheets-Sheet 6 lNl/ENTOR E. E. F RANZ ,4 TTORNEY Patented Nov. 2 9, 1949UNITED O F F ICE engages LOADING I IURRET .HAVI TACLE. 'surro s na i irinfiqmn N- m rre afien Application -J uly' This invention relates toloading machines,

WITH. ROTATABLE LEXInL (RECEP- 1) REGE AQLE I 5-, ssi m o-W s morat dizw Yan Y9?! firmed;inthebracketfiZ n registration withset s i e g and-esi the nul pl te 2.8-

Aasimila-raannular.member 3 4, .withlike apertures An. object of theinvention isto providenazloading 1 machine which is simple in structure,.effi-s cient in operation, andzhighlypractical fOI'uslOfid-E ing.electrical units.

With this and other objects in. view, the invention comp-rises. asupportfor .a hollow. article-mowable in a given path, means. under thecontrol. of the article to fill; the. article with. a-s'ealing material,and. means to control: thecooling l of the .material.

, Other objects. andadvantages will be apparent from the, followingdetailed description: when considered in conjunction ,with theaccompanying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a. side elevational view. of. the iapparatus; portions,thereof being. broken away;

Fig. 2 is.a.horizontal sectionalview'. taken sub stantially. along theline.:2=2. ofEFig. 1;

Fig; 3 isairagm'entary vertical sectional view takensubstantially alongthe line 3-3: or-Figefl;

Fig. .4 is ,anenlargedfragmentary:sectionaltview taken along. the line4'.4.: of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is .an enlarged' fra'gmentary sectional view taken substantiallyalong theline:-=:5-5 of. Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is awfragmentary sectionaltvi'ew taken along the-line 6-623Fig.6;

lF-igfil is a fragmentary: top plan View ofia portionwof the structureshown in Figeabut witnthe cam portions in diiferentpositions;

Fig. 8.is..a fragmentary section-alvieW-taken along the. line 8-:-8-ofFig. 7;

Fig. 9 is .an enlarged fragmentary. vertical. sec tional;view of one ofthe .unitsupports,.and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged-.fragmentary sectional:

view taken along the line; I 0- l 0, of Fig.3..

' Referringnow to the drawineaattention is first the latter beingfixedly "mounted. in; the apeltlife of the base 2e by meansof; screws25. ;;An.-an-

nular, apertured plate, 2 8-, .disposed concentric -w h the shaft-24,rests upon the braclget .22 a I thereto as at 29. nnnular grooves w andtherein, .-as .shownqin Fig. 3, for communication withvthcirrespeetiveapertures32 and S3, is also disposed concentric with thesh aft 24 and isfined to ahub it; The hub. 35 includes bearings -31 and-.isrotatableontheshait 24. The hub is a p o itu rq in c ted gen a a .31 lead having.an. upper member 39 an intermediate membersfifl, and alowermember 4 l.Through the aid of these. members compartments 42 and}; are formed,closed-,attheouteredges thereof through the. -.aid.oi. an annular rnember 4 4. Byviewing Eig. 3, it wilLbe noted thatsets of passageways 45 and46 complete communication with their respective .sets of anertures in.the annular plate .28. and annular. mernb er;; 3 4.

aIn thegpresent; embodiment the electrical unit includes a. molded bodyfitsupporting aplurality ofztern'i-inalsand having coils.- or otherstructures formed.thereon,:the leads of which are fixed totheinrespecttveterminals 51. A metallic can or Lcontainer 52isdisppsedover the upper portions .of l-the bodygfifl' and gthe innerstructure of the nnitflan aperturejtbeing provided in the upperend..otgthecontainer. The bodies Ellare hollow {or given portionsoftheir lengths to receive supportsefl. The, supports. 54 are identical instructurefqthere being-provided amultiplicity of pairs thereof disposed.in circular arrangement as illusalthreadedaperture-ES of theintermediate member fl; .extendszinto the support. 54 short of the fulllength threoi and spaced from the inner wall o tee-m m e mallow fq i h Pa offal @001- ee ui therebstwsen- Theem 5 I, therefore; communicateswith the compartment 4-2,, while the;support .54 communicates with the@inn t en 43- l n potting. electricalunits, that is, in filling cans,-or containerslthereof with a sealing comwhich is po ured. into the;container in .a

molten stateancl, lowed ,to cool, there'exist fissuresorhtherpockets theinaterial due to coolcirculated therethrough and through each of thesupports 54, to cause the cooling of the sealing material toward thecenter of each unit, other means for retarding the cooling of thematerial nearer the container, such as by the application adjacent pin84 at the termination of each intermittent movement of the turret. Inthis manner the turret is locked against rotary movement during the restperiod thereof, so as to automatically align the apertures 53 of thecontainers 52 with the nozzles of the units or valves for feeding thesealing material thereto, as will hereinafter be described.

A hood 9!, arcuate in general contour, surrounds the supports 54excepting at the loading position at the front of the machine, indicatedat 98 (Fig. 4), where the units, to be filled, are

placed upon the supports 54 and those which have been filled and passedthrough the machine may of heat to the container, being hereinafterdescribed.

The cooling medium or water may be received from -a supply line 65through a thermostatically controlled valve 55 to the groove 33. Thewater, when admitted under force to the groove 30, will travel throughthe companion apertures in the members 28 and 34, through thepassageways 45, into the compartment 42, through the tubular member 6|of each of the supports 54, overflowing at the upper ends thereof andpassing downwardly, contacting the thin walls 58 and escaping throughthe compartment 43, passageways 46, through the companion apertures inthe annular members 34 and 28, through the annular groove SI, andthrough an outlet 61 shown in Fig. 4. A control unit 88, positioned tosuccessivel engage the outer supports 54 during their intervals of rest,functions through the connection 69 in controlling the valve 66. I

Means is provided to intermittently move the turret 38 about the fixedshaft 24 and to lock it against movement during its intervals of rest.The moving means includes a motor I (Fig. 2) which is operativelyconnected to an input shaft II of a speed reducing unit 12 through abelt and pulley connection I3. An output shaft 14 of the unit 72 extendsvertically and has a cam element 15 mounted upon the upper end thereofand a cam l mounted upon the lower end thereof. The cam element 75 iskeyed, as at 18, to a sleeve 19, the latter being fixed to the shaft.The purpose of this connection is to allow the calm element to be movedvertically into and out of operative positions under the control of acam surface 89 positioned to ride upon a cam roller 8i, the latter beingsupported by a cup-shaped structure 82 fixedly supported b the base 29.A circular arrangement of pins 84 are disposed at spaced positions inalignment with the inner circle of supports 54, to function incooperation with a cam member 85, of the contour shown in Figs. 5 and'7, for the movement of the turret a given distance, namely the distancebetween the centers of the pins 84, to advance the supports 54 onestation during each cycle of the cam element 75. There is also provideda cam portion Bl of the contour illustrated in Figs. 3, 5 and 8,positioned to ride under the adjacent pin 84 during each cycle of thecam element I5 to force the latter downwardly should it not movedownwardly by gravity under the control of the roller 8|.

A cam groove 89 is formed in the periphery of the cam element 85 and ofa contour to cause rocking of a toggle lever 9I through the riding ofits cam roller 92 in the cam groove. The lever 9i (Fig. 5) is pivotallysupported, at 93, and has a U-shaped member 94 at the other end thereofpositioned to be moved into engagement with the "be removed. The hood 9!has a main compartment I89 and an auxiliary compartment IOI separated bya partition I02 in which a series of apertures I03 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3)are disposed in circular arrangement throughout the partition. A heatingunit I04, which may be of any desired contour, is positioned adjacent aninlet I05 for the compartment IUI, so that air from a blower I05actuated by an electric motor IO'I may be heated while passing into thecompartment. The partition with its apertures I03 distributes the heatedair throughout the compartment IOI and causes it to pass uniformly intothe compartment I 58 to heat the containers 52.

A receptacle II 5 for sealing material III is rigidly mounted upon theshaft 24 and has an outlet H2. Suitable means (not shown) may beprovided to heat the material I I I in the receptacle H9 to convert itinto a liquid so that it will flow freely through the outlet H2 tovalves H4 and H5. The valves are disposed in a housing I I6 whichincludes a heating element, indicated generally at H1, which is underthe control of a thermostat H8 to maintain the valves and the materialat a desired temperature. Outlets or nozzles I29 and I2I are providedfor the valves H4 and H5, respectively, and are positioned to registerwith units during each interval 0f rest of the turret 38. The valves H4and H5 are identical in structure and hollow as illustrated in Fig. 10.The means for actuating the valves is illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 10.The valves H4 and H5 have levers I23 and I24 fixed to their :outer ends,they in turn being pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of actuatingrods I25 and I26, respectively. These rods are slid ably supported insuitable bearings I2! and carry camlike fingers I28 and I29. SpringsI35, disposed concentric with the rods between one of the bearingmembers I21 and their fingers I28 and I29, normally urge the rods to theright, to cause movement of the valves into open positions. SolenoidsI32 and I33 are provided to release the actuating rods I25 and I26, theyfunctioning in cooperation with the fingers I28 and I29.

The solenoid I32 has a link I35 connecting its spring pressed core I36to a lever I31, the latter being pivotally supported at I38 and carryinga roller I39 at its outer end, as illustrated in Fig. 2. When the coreof the solenoid I32 is in its normal position the roller I39 is in thepath of the finger I29 to hold the actuating rod I25 in a position tothe left, the roller I39 being removed from the path of the finger uponenergiZation of the solenoid. A similar structure is provided for thesolenoid I33, including a link I45 connecting its spring pressed coreI4I with a lever I42, the lat ter being pivotally supported at I43 andcarrying a roller I44. The roller I44 is positioned in the path of thefinger I28 to hold the finger, together with its actuating rod I26, tothe left against the force of its spring I until the S0165 nold I33 isenergized. The actuating rods I25 and I26 have collars I and I46 atgiven posie tions thereon positioned to be. engaged by a slide I48,carried by the rods and movable through the actuation of an arm I49.which is connected to the slide through the aid of a pin or screw I56receivable in an elongate aperture in the end of the arm. The arm I49 isfixedly mounted upon the upper end of a shaft 152 which is supported insuitable bearing and extends downwardly to a position beneath the base26, Where a cam lever I53. is mounted thereon. The cam lever I53 isshown in Figs. 3 and 5 and carries a, cam roller I55, atv its outer end,which is normally held in engagement with the cam 16 so. that duringeach revolution of the, cam, the. cam lever I53; will be moved clockwiseto move the arm I49 (Fig. 2;) in the same direction, to move the slide.I48 to force either orboth of the actuating rods I25 and I26 so thattheir fingers I28 and I29. will engage their respettiverollcrs I39 andI44. The cam-like surfaces, or the fingers cause actuation oi theirlevers I?,1; and [.42 in movement into their set positions. This; is,therefore, the setting mechanism for the, valves H4. and H5. When thevalves are set, passageways I58 communicate with the passageway II 2,leading from the re-v ceptacle I16, so that. a, hollow portion I56 (Fig.10.) of each of the. valves-may be filled with the sealing material. At,this. time outlet passage-. ways I60 are closed to. their nozzles I26and HI. Eorts I6 -I, are providedfo-r each of the valves M4 and I. I.5,they having pairsoi ports I62 to communicate with the ports. I;6,Iwhile, the valves are in, their respective, loadingand unloadingpositions, so that air within the valves may escape during the loadingof the valves with thesealing material, and. permit air to enter thevalves dur-. i g the unloading of the material into the units so thatthe liquidmaterial which remainsheated in the valves will be allowed toflow freely through. the nozzles associated therewith. It will be notedthat the larger ends of; the valves are closed by covers I63 includingintegral plug portions I64 (Fig. 10) which may. be of varied sizes tovary; the volumeof the. sealing material receivable into the hollow1301110115159. 7 I

It is importantthat thevalves I I4 and H5 are operated to allow theircontents of sealing material to pass intofthe containers 52 as the unitsare successively positioned therebeneath. It is eq' ally important thatthevalves remain inoperative should the operator, by accident, allow a:

- filled unit'to repeat its cycle of movementthroug-h the machine.Tofiassure. accurate operation of the valves, micro-switches I65 andI66, respectively disposed. in circuits (not shown) for controllingtheir respective solenoids I32 and I33 are mounted so that their rollercarrying arms will be actuated by the units to be filled but will not beactuated by the units repeating their travel. through the machine. Theroller carrying arms for the switches are indicated at I61 and 168,- andare movable to actuate their respective spring pressed plungers I69 and"I10. The positioning of. the 'hollow articles or, electrical unitsrelative 'to the switch arms I61 and lfifli'sunder, the control oiflexible and extensible endless belts 112 and, l1fi supported, bysheaves I14and 1.15, the upper. portions of the belts, due to thepositioning of the sheaves, being caused, to engage a plurality oi thesupports54, while thelower portions there. "areheljdout offthe path ofthepins 84through. he aid oi idler rollers or sheaves I16. It. will,

7, brought about through the actuation of the cam.

therefore, be apparent-that when the operator. places units to be filledupon the supports 54 at the loading position 98, certain of theterminals 5! of each of the units will rest upon their respective beltI12 or I13, as indicated at the left (Fig. 3). By resting upon the belt,the upper end of the unit will be in the path of its respective arm I61or I68 to cause actuation of its switch. However, if the unit is onewhich has travelled through the machine and has previously been filledwith the sealing material, as illustrated by the unit at the right ofFig. 3, this unit, after passing its respective switch arm I68 duringits first travel through the machine, has dropped off of its belt I13 sothat as it again approaches thebelt, it will be in the lower positionwith the terminals 5| engaging the side Wall of the belt and not restingupon the belt as shown. This difference in position of the unit willlocate the upper end thereof beneath its switch arm $66 so thatv at thistime the valve H 4. will not be actuated as the solenoid I32 will not beenergized. This same incident could occur in connection with the outerbelt I12 and regardless of the number of units repeating their travelthrough the machine they will not interfere withthe unfilled units.

Considering now the operation of the apparatus, let it be assumed thatthe machine is empty of units to be filled. The operator, stationed atthe loading position 96 (Fig. 4), places the electrlcal units upon allof, the supports 54., that is, both circular rows thereof, as. they arevbrought into the loading position. The units, therefore, originally restupon their respective belts I12 and I13.- and as they reach theirrespective switch arms i6? and E66, the switches I65 and I66 are closed,causing energization of the solenoids I32 and I33. It is immaterial asto when the solenoids are actuated with respect to each other. They maybe actuated simultaneously or at different intervals of time, dependingupon the positionsv oi the. units on the turret.

Assuming that the valves II 4 and I I5. have been previously filled withthe quantities of sealing material, these quantitiesv will be depositedin their respective units, during the rest period of the turret,resulting from the energization of the solenoids to actuate theirrespective levers and release the fingers I,2.'8.and I29 so that thesprings 1.66 may actuate the valves, opening the passageways to theirnozzles so. that their contents may flow into the containers of theunits positionedbeneath. This operation continues during theintermittent rotation of the turret which is broughtabou't through thecontinuous operation of the. motor 16' todr'ive' its cam element 15.through the unit '12, to. raise the element inter-; mittently so thatthe cam member will be positio'nedto engage the .nextsuccesive-pin 84 tor0- tatethe turret 68. a. given distance, the turret being immediatelylocked. against further rotation through the-actuationof the cam lever9I (Figs. 5 and 6). The cam, element 15 is designed to.

1 move by gravity downwardly under the control. of the cam roller .8](Fig. 5) but if anything. should cause the cam element to remain in its.

upper position, the camportion 81 will engage an.

adjacent pin 84 and thus force the cam element. downwardly.

During the operation'ofv the unit 12, driven by the motor 19, the cam1-6 travels withthe cam: element 15 through the operating cycles to re.-peatedly reset the-valves I-I4 and H5. This is 7 lever I53 and its shaftI52, to actuate the arm I49 and the slide I48.

During the operation of the machine the air from the blower I06, heatedby the heating unit I04, is constantly circulated through the hood 91 toheat the containers 52 of the units being filled to control thesolidification of the sealing material so that, through the coolingefiect of the supports 54 resulting from the cooling medium or water,the sealing material will cool more rapidly adjacent its center than atthe outer portions thereof.

Although specific improvements of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and thatvarious modifications may be made therein without departing from thescope and spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A loading machine comprising a turret, a circular arrangement ofsupports for hollow articles disposed at spaced positions thereon, meansto intermittently rotate the turret to move the supports and articlesthereon in a circular path, a. flexible member disposed above the turretat a loading position to hold the articles in elevated positions wheninitially placed on their supports and during given portions of theircircular movement, a receptacle for a supply of material, feeding meansactuable to cause quantities of the material to flow successively intothe elevated articles to load the articles therewith, and an elementpositioned a given distance above the turret and actuable by theelevated articles to cause operation of the feeding means.

2. A loading machine comprising a turret, a circular arrangement ofsupports for hollow articles disposed at spaced positions thereon, meansto intermittently rotate the turret to move the supports and articlesthereon in a circular path, a flexible member disposed above the turretat a loading position to hold the articles in elevated positions wheninitially placed on their supports and during given portions of theircircular movement, a receptacle for a supply of material, feeding meansactuable to cause quantities of the material to flow successively intothe elevated articles to load the articles therewith, and an elementpositioned a given distance above the turret and actuable by theelevated articles to cause operation of the feeding means, the saidflexible member being movable laterally by a loaded article on itssupport, whereby the loaded article may repeat its movement past thefeeding means free of the element.

3. A loading machine comprising a turret, a circular arrangement ofsupports for hollow articles disposed at spaced positions thereon, meansto intermittently rotate the turret to move the supports and articlesthereon in a circular path, an endless flexible conveyor member, rollersto support the flexible member for movement of a portion thereof withthe turret, which portion travels above the turret and normallyfrictionally engages a plurality of the supports adjacent a loading,position to hold the articles in elevated positions when initiallyplaced on their supports, a receptacle for a supply of material, feedingmeans actuable to cause quantities of the material to flow successivelyinto the elevated articles to load the articles therewith, and anelement positioned a given distance above the turret and actuable by theelevated articles to cause operation of the: feeding means.

4. A loading machine comprisin a turret, a circular arrangement ofsupports for hollow articles disposed at spaced positions thereon, meansto intermittently rotate the turret to move the supports and articlesthereon in a circular path, an endless flexible conveyor member, rollersto support the flexible member for movement of a portion thereof withthe turret, which portion travels above the turret and normallyfrictionally engages a plurality of the supports adjacent a loadingposition to hold the articles in elevated positions when initiallyplaced on their supports, a receptacle for a supply of material, feedingmeans actuable to cause quantities of the material to flow successivelyinto the elevated articles to load the articles therewith, and anelement positioned a given distance above the turret and actuable by theelevated articles to cause operation of the feeding means, the saidflexible member being movable laterally by a loaded article on itssupport, whereby the loaded article may repeat its movement past thefeeding means free of the element.

5. A loading machine comprising a turret, a circular arrangement ofsupports for hollow articles disposed at spaced positions thereon, meansto intermittently rotate the turret to move the supports and articlesthereon in a circular path, a flexible member disposed above the turretat a loading position to hold the articles in elevated positions wheninitially placed on their supports and during given portions of theircircular movement, a receptacle for a supply of material, a dispensingelement, having a chamber, movable between a charging position incommunication with the receptacle and a discharging position above thesaid path, means normally urging the element to the dischargingposition, a latch to hold the element in the charging position, meansoperable in synchronism with the turret moving means to move the elementto the charging position, and means under the control of the article inthe elevated position adjacent the element to release the latch.

6. A loading machine comprising a turret, a circular arrangement ofsupports for hollow articles disposed at spaced positions thereon, meansto intermittently rotate the turret to move the supports and articlesthereon in a circular path, a flexible member disposed above the turretat a loading position to hold the articles in elevated positions wheninitially placed on their supports and during given portions of theircircular movement, a receptacle for a supply of material, a dis pensingelement, having a chamber, movable between a charging position incommunication with the receptacle and a discharging position above thesaid path, means normally urging the element to the dischargingposition, a latch to hold the element in the charging position, meansoperable in synchronism with the turret moving means to move the elementto the charging position, a switch actuable into closed position by anarticle moved beneath the element, and a solenoid energized by theclosing of the switch to trip the latch.

7. A loading machine comprising a turret, supports for hollow articlesdisposed at spaced positions thereon, means to intermittently rotate theturret to move the supports in a circular path, a receptacle for asupply of heated material, feeding means actuable to cause quantities ofthe material to flow successively into the articles, an elementpositioned to be engaged successively by the articles to cause actuationof the said feeding means, and a flexible member normally disposedclosely adjacent the supports at and in advance REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hunter et a1 July 3, 1883 Number Number10 Name Date Baker Aug. 27, 1912 Freedman July 20, 1920 Capell Jan. 18,1921 Weatherhead Mar. 18, 1924 Holmquist Jan. 19, 1926 Mojonnier et a1Mar. 10, 1931 Weber Jan. 10, 1933 Phillips et a1. i Aug. 4, 1936 KantorSept. 27, 1938 Vogt Aug. 15, 1939 Burnett Oct. 17, 1939 Hagemeyer Aug.26, 1941 Little Apr. 25, 1944 Arnold et al. Dec. 5, 1944

